Alison Pearce Stevens
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Articles by Alison Pearce Stevens
Scientists Say: Subsidence
Share this: Share via email (Opens in new window) Email Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Share on X (Opens in new window) X Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit Share to Google Classroom (Opens in new window) Google Classroom Print (Opens in new window) Print Subsidence (noun, “sub-SY-dens”) Subsidence happens when land sinks because water, soil, rock or other underground materials are removed.
6 surprising science-backed ways to beat the heat
Share this: Share via email (Opens in new window) Email Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Share on X (Opens in new window) X Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit Share to Google Classroom (Opens in new window) Google Classroom Print (Opens in new window) Print Summer is finally around the corner, bringing lots of opportunities for outdoor adventures.
Brain study suggests adolescence may last for decades
Share this: Share via email (Opens in new window) Email Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Share on X (Opens in new window) X Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit Share to Google Classroom (Opens in new window) Google Classroom Print (Opens in new window) Print Society has tended to describe adulthood as starting at around 18 to 21. And most people may appear fully adult by then. But such looks can be deceiving.
Everyone feels malicious joy — schadenfreude — now and then
Share this: Share via email (Opens in new window) Email Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit Share to Google Classroom (Opens in new window) Google Classroom Click to print (Opens in new window) Print If you ever laugh when someone trips or drops their lunch tray, it may feel a little cruel — and it is.
Big goals can feel overwhelming. Here’s how to stay on track
Share this: Share via email (Opens in new window) Email Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit Share to Google Classroom (Opens in new window) Google Classroom Click to print (Opens in new window) Print The University of Nebraska women’s volleyball team spent the 2025 season ranked number one. That wasn’t by chance.
Scientists Say: Kleptotrichy
Share this: Share via email (Opens in new window) Email Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit Share to Google Classroom (Opens in new window) Google Classroom Click to print (Opens in new window) Print Kleptotrichy (noun, “KLEP-tow-TRY-key”) Kleptotrichy is the act of stealing hair from live mammals.
Analyze This: Some bats feast on songbirds midflight
Vampire bats are a staple of Halloween. But they’re not the only bats that deserve the title of creepy creature. Another species snatches birds out of the air for a gruesome midnight feast. Songbird DNA has shown up before in the poop of three bat species. So researchers knew these flying mammals ate more than just insects. But how does a bat hunt a bird? It turns out that Europe’s largest bat, the greater noctule, can capture, rip apart and eat songbirds midflight.
Cities across the world are sinking. Here’s how they might rebound
The streets are flooding in Jakarta, Indonesia. But people just go about their lives. Adults wade through water to work, shop and care for their families. Children splash and play in water-logged streets. This flooding isn’t caused by a storm. It’s not even raining. Flooding here happens every day, as high tides swamp the city’s low-lying areas. Part of the problem is rising sea levels. But Jakarta has a bigger issue: Its land is literally sinking.
Short exercise workouts can boost classroom performance
academic: Relating to school, classes or things taught by teachers in formal institutes of learning (such as a college). anxiety: A nervous reaction to events causing excessive uneasiness and apprehension. People with anxiety may even develop panic attacks. cognitive: A term that relates to mental activities, such as thinking, learning, remembering and solving puzzles. EEG: Short for electroencephalography.
Mic’d bats reveal midnight songbird attacks
Vampire bats are a Halloween staple, and now they’ve got company. Another bat species snatches birds out of the air for a gruesome midnight feast. Songbird DNA has previously shown up in the guano of three bat species, so researchers knew these flying mammals were eating more than just insects. But how, exactly, does a bat hunt a bird?
Sleeping in - but not too much - may ease anxiety
adolescent: Someone in that transitional stage of physical and psychological development that begins at the onset of puberty, typically between the ages of 11 and 13, and ends with adulthood. anxiety: A nervous reaction to events causing excessive uneasiness and apprehension. People with anxiety may even develop panic attacks. anxious: (n. anxiety) A feeling of dread over some potential or upcoming situation, usually one over which someone feels they have little control.
Nebraska’s 2025 Book Award Winners Announced
Celebrate Nebraska’s 2025 Book Award winners with author readings and an awards presentation ceremony at the Nebraska Celebration of Book’s (NCOB) literary festival. Held at the UNL City Campus Union on November 15th, winners of the 2025 Nebraska Book Awards will be honored at the celebration which will include author roundtables during the festival and an awards ceremony.
Harnessing the ocean to power transportation
In the not-so-distant future, seaweed might provide biofuel to power planes, trucks, cars, and ships. The technology to harness the power of seaweeds is very much in development, and WHOI researchers are at the forefront of this exciting new venture. The idea is to transition the primary source of biofuels from land-based crops to fast-growing kelp—that is, to shift the energy sector from agriculture to aquaculture.
Pollinators send out good vibrations - and plants respond sweetly
The buzz of an approaching bee or wasp spurs many people to flee. Some plants respond to “hearing” insects, too. One common garden bloom can tell the difference between the buzz of friends and foes — and change the recipe of its nectar in response. That’s the new finding of the “good vibes” project conducted by researchers in Italy, Spain and Australia. Snapdragons sweeten their nectar when a pollinator’s buzz fills the air.
Busting myths about HABs
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) can pose a threat to people, pets, and livestock, as well as aquatic and marine life. WHOI researchers in the Anderson and Brosnahan Labs are investigating what drives HABs; their efforts to track blooms are leading to innovative new ways to relay real-time warnings to communities to prevent illness and death from HAB toxins. Researchers Don Anderson, Mindy Richlen, and Evie Fachon weigh in on some common misconceptions about HABs and human health.
Detective Dogs: How Working Dogs Sniff Out Invasive Species
. (Books for a Better Earth). Aug. 2025. 64p. Tr $20.99. ISBN 9780823455645. COPY ISBN Gr 4-8–Stevens has crafted an engaging, accessible book about conservation dogs—working canines trained to locate insects, mussels, and plants that threaten natural environments. These dogs make conservation work more efficient for humans, and play a crucial role in protecting delicate ecosystems.
Scientists Say: Circumnutation
Circumnutation describes the slow, circular movements the growing tips of young plants make throughout the day. Although it usually can’t be seen with the naked eye, all plants move. These are movements powered by the plants themselves, not movement due to wind. Plants slowly sway from side to side, a process called nutation (noo-TAY-shun). Circumnutation is a type of nutation in which plants move in a circle or ellipse.
Orange food dye can temporarily turn skin transparent
biology: The study of living things. The scientists who study them are known as biologists. cancer: Any of more than 100 different diseases, each characterized by the rapid, uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. The development and growth of cancers, also known as malignancies, can lead to tumors, pain and death. develop: To emerge or to make come into being.
Does plastic last for thousands of years in the environment?
Plastic pollution is a serious—and growing—environmental problem, with millions of tons of bags, bottles, fishing gear and more piling up on land and floating out to sea. But just how long does it last—and how can we innovate new materials to address the problem moving forward? WHOI scientists are investigating both issues. It’s easy to think the sole problem with plastic lies in its long life. Some estimates put the lifespan of some kinds of plastic as high as 1,000 years.
Scientists Say: Lava bomb Original
angle: The space (usually measured in degrees) between two intersecting lines or surfaces at or close to the point where they meet. ash: (in geology) Small, lightweight fragments of rock and glass spewed by volcanic eruptions. atmosphere: The envelope of gases surrounding Earth, another planet or a moon. core: Something — usually round-shaped — in the center of an object. (in geology) Earth’s innermost layer. Or, a long, tube-like sample drilled down into ice, soil or rock.
Meet the animals with the longest lifespans
Free educator resources are available for this article. Register to access: Client key* E-mail Address* Already Registered? Enter your e-mail address above. When you think a person is old, just how old are they? Does 50 seem old? What about 75? Or 100? That may be old for a human being. But for a glass sponge, turning 100 would be like a person reaching their first half-birthday. Compared to many animals, people do live a long time.
Analyze This: In movies, wetlands often get a bad rap
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In The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Frodo Baggins travels through the Dead Marshes on his way to fulfill his quest: to destroy a very powerful ring. As Frodo plods along, sidestepping eerie flames that burn on the ground, he stares into pools of murky water. The faces of the dead, killed in a long-past battle, gaze back. Frodo falls in and the ghostly specters reach to claim him. Free educator resources are available for this article.
By Carolyn Wilke Verified, Alison Pearce Stevens Verified, Kathiann M. Kowalski Verified, Jennifer Weeks Verified
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Science News Explores
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Scientists Say: Frost Quake
Arctic: A region that falls within the Arctic Circle. The edge of that circle is defined as the northernmost point at which the sun is visible on the northern winter solstice and the southernmost point at which the midnight sun can be seen on the northern summer solstice. The high Arctic is that most northerly third of this region. It’s a region dominated by snow cover much of the year. crystal: (adj.
Shark intestines inspire pipes with a strictly one-way flow
3-D printing: A means of producing physical items — including toys, foods and even body parts — using a machine that takes instructions from a computer program. That program tells the machine how and where to lay down successive layers of some raw material (the “ink”) to create a three-dimensional object. angle: The space (usually measured in degrees) between two intersecting lines or surfaces at or close to the point where they meet.
Wayward baby puffins get help from a community-led Puffling Patrol
Free educator resources are available for this article. Register to access: Client key* E-mail Address* Already Registered? Enter your e-mail address above. When baby Atlantic puffins in Iceland venture out of the cliffside burrows where they had hatched, they look for the light of the moon. It will guide them to the sea. But nearby town lights sometimes confuse them. This leads many to make wrong turns en route to the ocean.
Teen chemist uncovers potentially harmful preservatives in pet food
cancer: Any of more than 100 different diseases, each characterized by the rapid, uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. The development and growth of cancers, also known as malignancies, can lead to tumors, pain and death. chemical: A substance formed from two or more atoms that unite (bond) in a fixed proportion and structure. For example, water is a chemical made when two hydrogen atoms bond to one oxygen atom. Its chemical formula is H2O.
Scientists Say: Sundog
angle: The space (usually measured in degrees) between two intersecting lines or surfaces at or close to the point where they meet. atmosphere: The envelope of gases surrounding Earth, another planet or a moon. cloud: A plume of molecules or particles, such as water droplets, that move under the action of an outside force, such as wind, radiation or water currents. (in atmospheric science) A mass of airborne water droplets and ice crystals that travel as a plume, usually high in Earth’s atmosphere.
Struggling to find happiness? Here are some paths to positivity
Think about a time when you were happy. What comes to mind? Was it a family game or movie night? Maybe you were hanging out with friends volunteering in your community. Or perhaps you were enjoying something beautiful — an amazing view or music that gave you goosebumps. It’s probably not hard for many of us to come up with specific moments that felt joyful. But the question of whether we’re happy overall is much more complex. It involves weighing many factors in our lives, good and bad.
Here's why art and being creative are good for your brain
You probably know lots of things that are good for your brain. Reading and working puzzles, for instance. Getting enough exercise and sleep. Eating healthy foods. Now here’s something else to add to the list: arts. Free educator resources are available for this article. Register to access: Client key* E-mail Address* Already Registered? Enter your e-mail address above. Arts engage many parts of your brain. Think about playing a musical instrument. That requires control of multiple parts of your body.
Microwave ovens house more than 100 types of bacteria
bacteria: (singular: bacterium) Single-celled organisms. These dwell nearly everywhere on Earth, from the bottom of the sea to inside other living organisms (such as plants and animals). Bacteria are one of the three domains of life on Earth. DNA: (short for deoxyribonucleic acid) A long, double-stranded and spiral-shaped molecule inside most living cells that carries genetic instructions. It is built on a backbone of phosphorus, oxygen, and carbon atoms.
Boost your immune system to avoid getting sick this fall
activate: (in biology) To turn on, as with a gene or chemical reaction. asthma: A disease affecting the body’s airways, which are the tubes through which animals breathe. Asthma obstructs these airways through swelling, the production of too much mucus or a tightening of the tubes. As a result, the body can expand to breathe in air, but loses the ability to exhale appropriately. The most common cause of asthma is an allergy.
AI image generators tend to exaggerate stereotypes
Ria Kalluri and her colleagues had a simple request for Dall-E. This bot uses artificial intelligence, or AI, to generate images. “We asked for an image of a disabled person leading a meeting,” says Kalluri. “I identify as disabled. Lots of folks do.” So it shouldn’t be hard for Dall-E to show someone with this description simply leading a meeting. Free educator resources are available for this article. Register to access: Client key* E-mail Address* Already Registered? Enter your e-mail address above.
This computer scientist is making virtual reality safer
algorithm: A group of rules or procedures for solving a problem in a series of steps. Algorithms are used in mathematics and in computer programs for figuring out solutions. biology: The study of living things. The scientists who study them are known as biologists. chemistry: The field of science that deals with the composition, structure and properties of substances and how they interact.
A bit of electricity can glue hard metals to soft materials
battery: A device that can convert chemical energy into electrical energy. chemical: A substance formed from two or more atoms that unite (bond) in a fixed proportion and structure. For example, water is a chemical made when two hydrogen atoms bond to one oxygen atom. Its chemical formula is H2O. Chemical also can be an adjective to describe properties of materials that are the result of various reactions between different compounds.
Surprise! These animals can help fight climate change
You’ll need to watch your step if you walk through a eucalypt forest in Australia. The ground is likely to be full of pits and covered in mounds of soil. That uneven terrain is an important sign of climate warriors at work. Echidnas (Eh-KID-nuhz) and other digging mammals made those mounds and pits. In search of food, they dig holes and fling soil into piles along the way. And those holes play a big role in keeping carbon dioxide (CO2) out of the air.
Here’s why teens’ body odor can be especially strong
bacteria: (singular: bacterium) Single-celled organisms. These dwell nearly everywhere on Earth, from the bottom of the sea to inside other living organisms (such as plants and animals). Bacteria are one of the three domains of life on Earth. chemical: A substance formed from two or more atoms that unite (bond) in a fixed proportion and structure. For example, water is a chemical made when two hydrogen atoms bond to one oxygen atom. Its chemical formula is H2O.
Scientists Say: Correlation and Causation
cancer: Any of more than 100 different diseases, each characterized by the rapid, uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. The development and growth of cancers, also known as malignancies, can lead to tumors, pain and death. constant: Continuous or uninterrupted. (in mathematics) A number that is known and unchanging, usually based on some mathematical definition. For example, π (pi) is a constant equal to 3.14. . . and defined as the circumference of a circle divided by its diameter.
Are offshore wind farms harming right whales?
A collection of seemingly grass-roots organizations claim that offshore wind projects are responsible for an uptick in whale deaths. But there’s no evidence to support their claims. Whales have been dying in larger numbers for many years, but offshore wind isn’t the reason why. Many whale deaths go unreported because the animals don’t always wash up on shore. For those that do, a team of scientists is often quick to secure the carcass for a necropsy, which can help determine cause of death.
With measles outbreaks in 49 countries, should you worry?
contagious: An adjective for some disease that can be spread by direct contact with an infected individual or the germs that they shed into the air, their clothes or their environment. Such diseases are referred to as contagious. Or it can be an idea or behavior that spreads from person to person. COVID-19: A name given to the disease that erupted into a massive global pandemic in 2020. It first emerged in 2019 and is caused by a new coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2.
Let’s learn about fingerprints
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Nearly everyone in the world carries a unique ID right at their fingertips. These are their fingerprints — the swooping, swirling patterns in the fine ridges of skin on the pads of their fingers. No two people have the same fingerprints. Not even identical twins. That’s why some phones can be unlocked with a user’s fingertip. And why fingerprints left at a crime scene can help identify whodunnit. Fingerprints form before birth.
By Maria Temming Verified, McKenzie Prillaman Verified, Avery Hurt Verified, Alison Pearce Stevens Verified
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Science News Explores
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Experiment: Can plants stop soil erosion?
aluminum: A metallic element, the third most abundant in Earth’s crust. It is light and soft, and used in many items from bicycles to spacecraft. angle: The space (usually measured in degrees) between two intersecting lines or surfaces at or close to the point where they meet. attention: The phenomenon of focusing mental resources on a specific object or event. average: (in science) A term for the arithmetic mean, which is the sum of a group of numbers that is then divided by the size of the group.
You’re too distracted. Here’s why that matters and what to do about it
app: Short for application, or a computer program designed for a specific task. attention: The phenomenon of focusing mental resources on a specific object or event. behavior: The way something, often a person or other organism, acts towards others, or conducts itself. carbohydrates: Any of a large group of compounds occurring in foods and living tissues, including sugars, starch and cellulose.
This urban gardener is mimicking nature to create healthier plants
agriculture: The growth of plants, animals or fungi for human needs, including food, fuel, chemicals and medicine. atmosphere: The envelope of gases surrounding Earth, another planet or a moon. basalt: A type of black volcanic rock that tends to be very dense (unless volcanic eruptions seeded it with lots of air pockets). birds: Warm-blooded animals with wings that first showed up during the time of the dinosaurs.
At last: How poison dart frogs ship defense toxins to their skin
amphibians: A group of animals that includes frogs, salamanders and caecilians. Amphibians have backbones and can breathe through their skin. Unlike reptiles, birds and mammals, unborn or unhatched amphibians do not develop in a special protective sac called an amniotic sac. biologist: A scientist involved in the study of living things. cell: (in biology) The smallest structural and functional unit of an organism.
Community action helps people cope with Flint’s water woes
annual: Adjective for something that happens every year. (in botany) A plant that lives only one year, so it usually has a showy flower and produces many seeds. chemical: A substance formed from two or more atoms that unite (bond) in a fixed proportion and structure. For example, water is a chemical made when two hydrogen atoms bond to one oxygen atom. Its chemical formula is H2O.
Experiment: Are we there yet? Test how migratory birds navigate
antenna: (plural: antennae or antennas) In biology: Either of a pair of long, thin sensory appendages on the heads of insects, crustaceans and some other arthropods. application: A particular use or function of something. biologist: A scientist involved in the study of living things. birds: Warm-blooded animals with wings that first showed up during the time of the dinosaurs. Birds are jacketed in feathers and produce young from the eggs they deposit in some sort of nest.
Which way is up? Insects may lose track near artificial lights
biodiversity: (short for biological diversity) The number and variety of species found within a localized geographic region. biologist: A scientist involved in the study of living things. bug: The slang term for an insect. Sometimes it’s even used to refer to a germ. (in computing) Slang term for a glitch in computer code, the instructions that direct the operations of a computer. canopy: (in botany) The top layer of a tree — or forest — where the tallest branches overlap.
Music has the power to move us physically and emotionally. Here’s why
activate: (in biology) To turn on, as with a gene or chemical reaction. ADHD: Short for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This condition is characterized by an ongoing pattern of being impulsive (acting without thinking, for instance), inattentive (have trouble staying on task) or hyperactive (fidgeting excessively or seeming overly restless and talkative). Someone can have any or all of these symptoms — and often at a level that tends to get in the way of their functioning effectively.
Pets and other animals can boost health and well-being
Share this: Share via email (Opens in new window) Email Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Share on X (Opens in new window) X Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit Share to Google Classroom (Opens in new window) Google Classroom Print (Opens in new window) Print When Percy Lee has a bad day, he hangs out with his chinchilla, Rin. “She’s like emotional support for me,” says the 14-year-old.
Shading corals during midday heat can limit bleaching
algae: Single-celled organisms, once considered plants (they aren’t). As aquatic organisms, they grow in water. Like green plants, they depend on sunlight to make their food. biologist: A scientist involved in the study of living things. bleach: A dilute form of the liquid, sodium hypochlorite, that is used around the home to lighten and brighten fabrics, to remove stains or to kill germs.
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